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In a battle of two of the best teams in the Western
conference, the game lived up to the expectations as three of the NBA’s most
potent scorers got off to hot starts. Kevin Durant, who finished with a
career-high 54 points, started off 10-for-11 from the field and the Splash
Brothers started off their night raining down a combined 9-for-12 from three.

The score after one quarter was 39-32 in what was destined
to be a shootout all night long. The problems arose for the Golden State
Warriors where they have been all year: free throws. There was a stretch in the
first quarter where Hack-a-Bogut, Steph Curry, and David Lee combined to miss
seven consecutive free throws. It’s
beyond me how a team that is so prolific from outside the arc is so poor when
they’re at the line. Draymond Green, a guy I believe is one of the most underrated players in the league, has shot down from 82 percent from the line
last year to 56 percent this year. And Andre Iguodala, despite his defensive
playmaking and offensive facilitating, is just as bad on freebies.

That simply did not bode well but with Curry and Thompson shooting
out of their mind, the Warriors stayed in the game. Curry and Thompson combined
to finish with 63 points and 12-of-19 from three.

Offensive rebounding was huge for the Oklahoma City Thunder
which led to multiple second chance opportunities despite the fact that both
teams finished with the same number of rebounds on the offensive glass (12).
When Golden State tried to slow down the scoring machine that was Kevin Durant,
Serge Ibaka was there to hit mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper…a much improved
area of his game. Kirk Goldsberry pointed out in a recent article that the man from Congo has the best midrange shot in the game ahead of
the likes of Chris Paul, Luke Ridnour, and Chris Bosh. Now, of course he’s not
creating for himself like his teammate Kevin Durant or his opponent today,
Steph Curry, but it’s impressive nonetheless as this graphic shows.

Harrison Barnes, who leads the Warriors second squad, was
non-existent today which really hurt. 0-of-4 from the field and no free throw
attempts will not help what is already the league’s worst scoring bench. Golden
State should have hope in their recent acquisition of Jordan Crawford, however,
who managed eight points on 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from downtown in
limited minutes. There certainly is a chance that this guy can put on his best
Jarrett Jack impersonation for this Warriors team. Jack averaged 13 points, 6
assists, and three rebounds for the Warriors in 2013, and thus far this year,
Crawford averages a nearly identical 14-6-3 (but in a starting role for
Boston).

In the end, though, OKC’s scoring was too much. When a team
goes 58 percent from the field and 73 percent from the line…it’s going to be
tough to beat that. Kevin Durant was hitting everything from everywhere, from
step-back jumpers and threes to backdoor cuts and drives to the rim. He was, as
Jon Barry mentioned about 5,412,089 times on the ESPN broadcast, unstoppable. It’s one of those nights that you tip
your hat to the player who is favored to win the NBA MVP and is averaging 35
points in the month of January.

Oklahoma City’s next game is Sunday against the Kings as
they continue their three-game home-stand and Golden State heads to New Orleans
to face the Pelicans tomorrow before a long homestand.

Despite Michael Jordan and other retired Hall of Famers
repeatedly denigrating this league “easier” to play in than previous
generations, the top players in the NBA today are as good as they have been in
the history of the game. The guys I’m going to mention in this top-10 list are
all box-office, franchise players. Part of the fun of being a fan of the game
is ranking the best in the game, so with half of the NBA season completed and
2014 just underway, it’s time to start the debate.

The scary thing is that three big-name players won’t be here
because of injuries: Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, and Rajon Rondo. The truth is
that even if they were healthy, based on how they played just before they fell
to injury, I’d say only one player on that list is worthy of consideration for
top-10 and it’s probably the last person you would guess…Rajon Rondo. You can
chalk me up to a believer that Kobe’s too old to be in this group and Rose’s
body just can’t keep up with him. I’d be happy to be proven wrong but that’s a
debate for when they return. Now onto the best in the league right now:

Because it took so long to decipher who was worthy of this
elite status, I think it would be remiss to neglect the guys who are just below
top-10. In no particular order, those five are all franchise players in
themselves but just aren’t quite at that top-10 level right now. If he can get and stay healthy, one day
Anthony Davis could be the best player in the game. That would be a scary
proposition for the rest of the league. There are virtually no elite dual-threat offensive
and defensive big men, the last of which was a perennial contender and repeated
champion, Tim Duncan (who deserves mention in this discussion even at age 37). Pair a guy like AD with an elite guard and maybe you have Parker-Duncan
2.0.

I originally put Flash at no. 9 but as a fan of his, the truth is that he isn’t as good as the guy I put in his place.

Only Los Angeles and Orlando have a right to hate Dwight
Howard—and even that is questionable. This guy is a great
player and while he may have shot down a couple spots since my top 10 players of 2013 ranking, he’s still the best center in the game. The
fact that he’s only no. 10 on this list shows that this has become a
league trending away from the traditional center. His per 36 numbers are still
incredible at 19 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks per game. Those bricks he
throws up from the free throw line are a liability and while we can laugh
that his field goal percentage (57) is higher than his free-throw percentage
(54), Howard (and the guy at no. 9) still have the Rockets 10 games above .500
in a very deep Western conference.

The other half of the big duo in Houston, James Harden is a
superstar scorer. His defense on the other hand…

But in a league where the solution to winning is often
scoring more points rather than giving up less, only a handful of the players
ahead of Harden on this list are more capable in that category. In fact, if you
throw up Harden’s numbers the past two seasons against some of Kobe Bryant’s during his prime you
might just be surprised how comparable they are…

The Knicks are terrible. This is a well-known fact. However,
this doesn’t take away from just how potent Melo is offensively. 26 points, nine rebounds, 1.2 steals per game on 45 percent from the field and
85 percent from the line is about as good as it gets. Where Melo is often
underrated is his mere 2.2 turnovers per game. You’d have to go down to the 15th
ranked scorer, Arron Afflalo, to find another non-big man who turns the ball
over as little as Anthony. To compound just how impressive that is, Melo uses
(a third-highest in the league) 31 percent of his team’s offensive possessions
when he’s on the court. You know he’s going to shoot, and you still can’t stop
it. Maybe he won’t end up with the Bulls, like I proposed, but he sure is out of New York after
this year.

The devastating meniscus injury proved exactly how valuable
Russell Westbrook is to the Thunder…and his recent re-injury of that same right
knee is worrisome. However, his track record of an injury-free college career
as well as an injury-free NBA career up until the freak accident against
Houston is great and as such I am not worried for him nor his team. OKC’s
recent loss to the lowly Utah Jazz (without Westbrook) proves again that as
great as Kevin Durant is, he cannot do it on his own. Westbrook’s 21 points,
seven assists, and six rebounds per game are hard to make up for even though he
is shooting only 42 percent from the field on 18 FGA per game. Wedged right in
at no. 7, Westbrook can claim the throne of the NBA’s most explosive player.

I find it remarkable that a guy who is 6’3” and 185 pounds
can be so effective as a scorer. If you look at all of the other great scorers
in the game, most are substantially taller (LeBron, Durant, Melo, even Harden
is 6’5”…) and bigger. But his smooth stroke is what makes him, in my opinion,
the most exciting player in the game to watch. And the guy can’t even dunk!!
Curry’s shooting numbers aren’t as eye-popping as they were last year, but that
should not come as a surprise after the off-season loss of Jack and Landry, and
the more recent Iguodala injury. I do expect his numbers to improve since
Iguodala has returned and the grueling part of Golden State’s schedule is over.
Although it is sometimes at the sacrifice of turnovers, he is also one of the
most creative playmakers capable of keeping his Splash brother teammates
involved with almost 10 assists per game.

The second-best two-way player in the league, the impossible
argument can be made that PG24 deserves the NBA’s most improved player award
for the second year in a row. In the span of two years, he elevated from
average to star to superstar…that’s not normal. Moreso than any other player
not named LeBron, he can do anything and everything on the basketball court.
Although Indiana’s impressive record is inflated by the fact that they play in
the Eastern conference, the truth is that the expected 2014 Eastern conference finals
matchup will be a battle of two top-five players in the league. The main reason
he doesn’t land higher in this ranking is because the four ahead of him are
established elite players…come back to me after this season ends and maybe he’s
climbed up a spot or two in my books.

If I were to draw up the perfect point guard…never mind, that’s not
necessary because this guy is basically just that. Floor general, elite
perimeter defender, playmaker, level-headed personality, scorer when he needs
to be, reasonable outside shooter, and all in a smaller frame than even Steph
Curry at 6’0” and 175. The Clippers will be in the heart of the fight for the
Western conference if they can hold on while CP3 nurses his shoulder injury. With Doc Rivers and the best PG in the league, (at least until
we can see what Rajon Rondo has to say about that) don't sleep on Los Angeles.

Kevin Love’s loyalty to Minnesota thus far is impressive and
also eerily familiar to two stars of this era, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett,
who played for subpar teams for too long. Miraculously, Minnesota is hanging
around a .500 record in the West. Like LeBron deserved in Cleveland, you can
thank Kevin Love for that. Even more frustratingly, that .500 record would be
good for a four or five seed in the East. And like the Kevin that preceded him in Minnesota, Love’s legacy is likely
tainted by the fact that he has played with insufficient supporting casts.

The most versatile big man in the game, what’s brought Kevin
to the next level of superstardom is his passing. While averaging a career-high
points per game, threes made per game, and FG percentage, he’s also nearly
doubled his assists per game output. Adrien Kaeslin of
Squeeze the Orange delved further into the nuances of his versatility as a
passer but here’s a quick glimpse into what he can offer as a passer:

Seriously though, Durant has had been on another planet this
season. The scoring leader had a four-game stretch in December where he put up
30 points on 61 percent from the field, 65 from
THREE and 91 from the line. You can’t do that in NBA 2K14. Not only has he
been putting up superhuman scoring numbers in the West but he’s also sporting
career highs in rebounds, assists, and steals. Durant is the favorite to win
the MVP and the clear second-best player in the league, but here’s an
interesting thought experiment: put Durant on the Timberwolves and Love on the
Thunder…could that answer change? It’s a lot like the Kevin Garnett vs. Tim Duncan debate where what team you’re on matters more than you
might think to our perception of an individual player.

Maybe he’s playing it a bit more conservative this year than
previously but playing about 100 games in each of the past two seasons allows
you to do that. In career low minutes per game, LeBron still averages 26 a game
and the usual 7-and-7 assists and rebounds. The real transcendent number would
be if he could up his 59 percent from the field to 60 even though almost 50
percent of his shots are from more than eight feet from the basket (per
NBA.com/stats). He reminded everybody on Christmas that he’s still a freakish
athlete who’s the best, and greatest, player in the NBA in 2014.

On July 3rd, I was walking down Commonwealth Ave. in Boston
when I got a text from one of my friends. It read something like this:

“BRAD STEVENS!!!!!!!”

For a moment I was confused. Why was my friend texting me
about the Butler basketball coach? I also noticed I had some Team Stream
notifications on my phone. Then it hit me. The Celtics had been looking for a
replacement for Doc Rivers, and they had just found it. I let out an audible
expletive in celebration. Where the hell did this come from? How had the
Celtics landed one of the brightest coaches in the NCAA, and how did it go
completely under the radar? Surely there would have been some kind of leak days
before the hiring, or at least word that the Celtics had talked to Stevens. Nope. There was nothing. In terms of best kept
secrets of 2013, it was right up there with Beyonce’s album dropping and the
Breaking Bad finale.

The response around the league was overwhelmingly positive.
Everyone agreed Stevens was a fantastic coach. The consensus in Boston was that
the Celtics had made a brilliant move.
Fans had something to be excited about for the first time after the
draft night trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (and Jason Terry,
too, I guess) to the Nets. That night was a heartbreaking one for Boston
fans, but the signing of Stevens was a beacon of hope for the future.

But seeds of doubt had been planted before the training camp
had even started. The track record of college coaches succeeding in the NBA was
against the new coach, and people claimed that he and all-star point guard
Rajon Rondo would not get along, their relationship doomed from the start.
Claims, I might add, that were made before Stevens ever so much as picked up a
phone to call Rondo.

I was at the TD Garden for the Celtics first preseason game
back in October. I bought a ticket for eight dollars (yes, on purpose) and found a nice seat in the first row on the floor right at the end of the
Celtics’ tunnel. I snapped this picture of the first time Stevens walked onto
the court.

Still
waiting for that call from SI’s photo department..

I wanted to be there that night, in that building. I wanted
to be a part of ushering in the new era: The Brad Stevens Era. The Celtics lost
to Toronto that night, but I spent more time watching Stevens than the actual
game. His actions, his reactions, his mannerisms, everything. He just looked
like he belonged.

Flash forward four months, and the Celtics are flip flopping
nightly with Toronto for the Atlantic Division. (It’s funny to watch them
switch back and forth from the fourth seed to the eighth seed on a daily
basis.) Their record may not impress many, but it has certainly impressed
the city of Boston. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and fans and
analysts everywhere had decreed them lottery-bound before opening night. The
over-under for win total was twenty-seven games. A quarter way through the season, they have
nearly half that, and that’s without Rajon Rondo as well. It is entirely
possible that this Celtics team wins 40 games.

I’m not entirely sure that Danny Ainge counted on Stevens
having this much success in his first year. The way the roster was put together
indicates that Danny’s intention was not to make the playoffs. That doesn’t
mean he is intentionally trying to lose, just that his goal is not to win. With
the combination of young coaches, young players, and accumulation of assets, the
goal is development. Now, nearly half way through the season, it seems
development is happening far more quickly than anticipated

It’s not unfair to give most of the credit to Brad Stevens.
For the most part, the players that are playing well were there last year:
Crawford, Sullinger, Bradley, Green, Bass. Now, some of this increased
production can be attributed to increases in minutes and opportunity. This
Celtics team has a new look, so players are carving out new roles for
themselves. But most of these guys are doing things they probably wouldn’t be
doing under other coaches.

Jordan Crawford is playing point guard, and he’s playing it
well. He is a key factor in this team’s success, and his performance so far
this year has been a revelation for a
team that’s had habitual backup point guard problems. Would any other coach
have made the call to play Crawford at point? It’s possible, but not probable.
Stevens coached against Crawford when he as at Xavier, so he knows what he’s
capable of. He trusted Crawford and Crawford rewarded him.

Jared Sullinger is shooting three pointers this season.
Sullinger had an impressive rookie campaign that was cut short by back surgery,
so it’s tough to say whether or not that shot would have come eventually. Given
Doc Rivers’ history with bigs shooting the three, I’m going to guess no. Back
in November, I remember seeing a tweet that Stevens had the entire team taking
threes at the end of practice. Not even the bigs were supposed to pass up an
open three. Not Vitor Faverani, not Kris Humphries, and especially not Jared
Sullinger. Is he shooting it well? Not really. He’s just at 30% from the arc so
far this season, but that will only improve. This is the season for him to
develop that shot, and adding the three to Sully’s arsenal will make him a
bona-fide scoring threat.

Avery Bradley has become a shooting machine. As a player
known almost solely for his lockdown defense, this comes as a surprise. But
Bradley was given the green light by Stevens, and is averaging more than 13
shots per game, the highest on the team. That’s more than offensive centerpiece
Jeff Green (12.6 FGA) and the trigger-happy Jordan Crawford (11.2 FGA). What’s
more is that he’s shooting it well too. He’s 46% from the field and 40% from
behind the arc. Bradley has received much criticism for his lack of offense in
previous years, but not this year. He’s doing it on both ends of the floor.

These are just a few highlighted examples of major improvements guys have made. Really,
the whole team is playing well, not only individually but collectively. Their
defense has been surprisingly effective for a young team. Through November,
Boston’s defense was ranked 8th in the league. It has since slipped in overall
efficiency, but is still good enough for 12th. Not bad for a team with exactly
zero rim protectors. But when the defense is on, Boston is really good. In wins, opponents average just 92 points per contest.
As the season goes on, they will get more consistent and will probably hover
around the top-10.

My point in all of this isn’t that Crawford, Sullinger, or
Bradley wouldn’t have made their respective jumps, or that the team as a whole
wouldn’t be playing as well, with anyone but Stevens. My point is that they are
accomplishing all of it with him. While ultimately it is the players who go out
there every night and play, the responsibility lies with the coach. After all,
it’s not the players that are fired after disappointing seasons. (Okay, they
can be traded, but you know what I mean). Stevens is the one who is going
out there and setting these guys up to do well.

Sometimes people forget how valuable a good coach really is.
But even if they do forget, they are reminded quickly. Don’t believe me? Just
ask Brooklyn. They have over 101 million
dollars on the books this season (For reference, the next highest is New
York at just over $85 million.) For a team that spent so much on the
players and has a huge “win now” mentality, they sure skimped on the coaching.
Jason Kidd was still in the league last season, and is now coaching many
players who still view him as their equal. They are 10-20. How the Nets
organization never saw this coming is beyond me.

If you want to understand the value of a good coach, just
look at what the best coaches in the NBA have accomplished in recent years.
Gregg Popovich led a team of senior citizens to within 16 seconds of an NBA
title. George Karl led a starless Nuggets team to 57 wins last season and won Coach of the Year (And then
was promptly fired!) Doc Rivers led Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon
Rondo, and some D-League fillers to within 6 minutes of the NBA finals in 2012!
And now Brad Stevens has a very real chance to get the Boston Celtics to the
2014 playoffs. And without any superstar talent, I’d
say it takes a pretty special coach to be able to get what Stevens gets on a
nightly basis.

I’m not saying Brad Stevens is Gregg Popovich, or George
Karl, or even Doc Rivers. The man has coached 30 NBA games and has a losing
record. But if you take the time to look past just the numbers, you can see
that he is a truly special coach. He has the ability to be one of the best in
the game. If the Celtics can remain patient during the rebuild, they will
succeed under Stevens. He has a bright future as an NBA head coach, and I for
one am just glad that he’s on my side.